The Sweet Taste of Darkness
by Elanor3
Summary: Short ficlet with three chapters about Morgoth and Sauron in the First Age. For all fans of the "dark side"... ;- Enjoy & please review!
1. Chapter 1

PART ONE

_**Seduction**_

It was the green of his eyes, I think, that intrigued me when we first met, those deep, sparkling eyes in the colour of a leaf in the midst of summer. Or maybe it was the way he held his head, full of pride, always high, always defiant though not openly provoking. Maybe it was also the beauty of his face, noble and fair in the bright light of the Two Lamps. Yet brighter was the light of innocence radiating from every fibre of his body, a sharp contrast to the expression of slight impatience and frustration on his face when he gazed at the piece of work he held in his slender hands.

In that moment I decided that I either had to have him – or to crush him entirely.

However, it was not yet the time for one or the other, so I disguised my dark thoughts for the moment, honeyed my tongue and turned to him with an amiable smile.

"Hail, o child of the everlasting flame! Tell me, is your master around, for I long to speak with him."

He swiftly turned his head, taken aback, for he had not noticed my arrival until now. It was a pleasure to watch his surprise first changed to disbelief and then to wariness. Yet he tried to dissemble his feelings and bowed politely.

"No, my Lord, I am afraid he is not." _And now please leave. _

I could hear his thought as if he had spoken it aloud and again had to hide a sneer. Instead I was roaming around him, hands on my back, seemingly discontent. "What a pity. I wished to offer Aule a bargain he certainly could not refuse. When will he return?"

"I do not know, my Lord. He left just before you arrived, an odd thing that you did not see him leaving."

Clever little Maia, he saw right through my admittedly not very credible story. However, I was astonished that he had the nerve to openly mention it. "Are you mocking me?"

"I would never dare to mock the mightiest of the Valar," he answered and lowered his eyes. It was impossible to make out if he was serious or indeed mocking. "Yet it seems strange to me that your latest visits to my master, who you are in conflict with, were always in his absence. The last time you had a long talk with Macil, as I have heard, and I have to admit I was wondering when you would come for me."

"Did you?" I did not like the smile that accompanied his words, quite too disregardful and proud for my taste. However, his pride might be the weakness that would make him easy prey in the end. "Well, then maybe you will be pleased to hear that your kinsman indeed told me about you, Mairon. He called you a mighty craftsman, blessed with skilfulness as well as with an ingenuity that would even match your master's."

Due to my expectations, he took the bait and smiled, obviously coaxed, yet still careful. "He exaggerates. I am only trying to do my work as well as possible, as anyone else here does."

"Though you did not seem to be very content with your work when I arrived," I said, trying to let my voice sound as concerned and interested as possible, though my only interest was in him. I had not lied with my last words – Macil, a lesser Maia, yet a useful spy among Aule's followers, had indeed told me of a powerful, fiery spirit that served the Smith. What he had told me about this servant had been enough to spark my interest. He was a master of his arts, according to Macil, though often quarrelling with Aule. However, in spite of his description I never expected to found a jewel so fair down here, such raw power that was ready to be made a dangerous weapon. But I needed patience so that he did not slip through my hands before I could tighten the grasp.

"What exactly did you do?" I hence asked.

He opened his hands and showed me. It was not metal, as I had thought before, but silver glass, carved in the form of a beautiful flower in full bloom. A pretty thing, though rather useless, and I got an idea of what it was that had annoyed him.

"They're for Aule's and Yavanna's palace on the Isle Almaren in the Great Lake," he explained, lacking enthusiasm. "Lately, all our works are for the Valar's residences."

"Quite boring, I guess," I murmured, still eying the adornment and not even trying to hide my disdain.

"Maybe, but it has to be done. The lands are already shaped, the mountains erected and the bays and lakes excavated. The great works are done, now we turn to the details."

"Well, considering your reputation among your kind, I assume that you are highly rewarded for your work," I turned in with a placable smile. "Certainly your master relies on you in all his matters and assigned you with a chief part in planning the Valar's dwelling, didn't he?"

"Not exactly. At present he wants me to deal with small things to get an eye for detail and perfection," he answered evasively, but he was not able to entirely ban the anger from his voice. I, contrarily, had to stifle a laugh again: So Aule had already tried to deal with the pride and overstated self-confidence of his cheeky little Maia by assigning menial tasks to him. A nice way to give him a taste of discipline, and ironically even a nicer one to make him fall for me.

Yet I pretended to entirely lack understanding. "I can hardly believe that. Does Aule not know what he has in you, Mairon, fairest one?"

He turned away from me, his face in shadows and his voice polite but cool. "Forgive me, Lord Melkor, but this is none of your business. So if you do not have anything important to say, I would bid you farewell. I have work to do."

I grit my teeth behind his back and had to resist the sudden temptation to hit his beautiful, arrogant face for the sassy response. Enough small talk then. He was too clever not to realize the hidden intentions behind my friendly words.

"It seems you are not in the mood for friendly conversation, are you?"

"Not if that conversation does not lead to anything, my Lord."

I raised my eyebrows innocently. "How come you think so?"

He smiled but a little and crossed his arms. "I served my master from the beginning of Arda and I witnessed how you tried to bring down everything he created. He built lands and you destroyed them. He carved a mountain and you overthrew it. He took out beds for the sea and you buried them. Now you come to me in his absence, talking about my work and my master for the only reason to grow bad blood between him and me. Please do not take me for a fool!"

_Though foolish you are._

"You forget that nothing grows without a seed that is already in place," I gently replied, subtly approaching him. "Who do _you_ want to fool, anyway? You resent me for my quarrel with your master who has never rewarded you, never offered you the place you are entitled to. You cannot tell me that you are content, unless I judged you quite wrong. Why do you stand up for Aule?"

"Because you did not only undo his work, but also mine," he answered, yet I was pleased to see the spark of doubt in his eyes. All I had to do now was to rake that spark to a hot fire.

"But your works have been nothing but mere toys, fairest one," I said softly, but raised a hand in command when he wanted to interrupt me angrily. "Or maybe let me say: mere toys so far, compared to what you could create, if they would let you. But the Valar are jealous, they do not like those who could match their glory. Stay with Aule and you will do pretty little glass figures and silly toys for them and the children of Ilúvatar until the last remains of your fire have been burned out."

He was silent for a moment, and I supposed that he had had the same thoughts even before I appeared, just that he did not dare to think them loudly.

"You speak to me of creation," he replied after a long while. "Yet the only effect of your power I ever saw was destruction."

"May it be that you looked in the wrong direction? I only intended to amend where the Valar in my opinion messed up, giving them the chance to improve their works, for destruction always bears the core to a new order. Look to the North and the South, see the Two Lamps! Since Aule put them up, everlasting light illuminates the world, so bright that you cannot see the beauty of Varda's stars anymore, or walk wrapped in sweet lenity of darkness. "

He looked at the north for an moment, where Illuin was gleaming in a cloudless sky. "I have to admit, I never saw it that way."

"Then maybe it is time for you to reconsider," I teased him but quickly turned serious again. It was time for the final offensive while he was reeling. Therefore I gently seized his wrists and caught his surprised gaze with my own eyes, before I keenly spoke to him, every word a seduction to his hungering spirit.

"Mairon, Fairest, most admirable of your kind! Come with me, join me in my works. Together, you and I will shape a world according to our dreams and no one shall stand in our way. Come with me and you shall have a part in all my works and deeds upon Arda, and I will enhance your power further than you ever dreamed of and make you commander of all creatures that serve my will. Endow me with your skilful hands and I will let them build fortresses, mountains and all tools of power you wish. Endow me with your power," I rest a hand on his chest, "and it will become greater and stronger than in any of your kind, and all lesser spirits will bow to you. Endow me with your fiery spirit and I will keep it unreined and free, for it is your nature."

At my last words I gently touched his forehead and, when I withdrew my hand, I could finally see the kindled desire glowing in the dark green of his eyes as the spark swiftly caught fire. He deeply longed for the things I promised him, and we both knew it. Yet he was not that easy to catch, and reason again overcame his eagerness when he backed away.

"If I agreed, what would you ask me to do in your service?"

"At present, I am in need of a new master builder for a new fortress," I said thoughtfully, outlaying the next bait. "I presume this could be to your liking, couldn't it?"

The desirous glare in his eyes spoke for itself, yet he was still wavering. "Would you ask me to do evil?"

"Evil?" I smiled. "What is evil but a word, a simpleminded division made up by the Valar? I will tell you something, Admirable: There are no such things as good or evil, there is only power and those who are strong enough to keep it. And think about it! You will be free, mighty and content with the world and yourself. How can that be evil?"

He nodded slightly, evading my eyes, but I knew that the trap had been closed and he was caught in it. However, there was no need to rush things, and so I spoke in a lighter tone, "Maybe it was a little too much for this hour. I see that you need to sort things out and so I will bid you farewell for now and return another day. Meanwhile think about the answer you might give me then. I will not repeat my offer, so choose wisely."

With these words I turned away from him and departed, his beautiful face riven between desire and fear, pride and duty. I did not turn to look at the tall, slender shape I had to leave behind for the moment, but what I heard after a few steps made me almost burst out with triumphant laughter: The sound of shattering glass, bursting asunder in thousands of pieces, thrown down by a sullen hand in a moment of frustration.

He was already mine, though he did not realize it yet, and before the time I gave him for consideration was over, he would come to me voluntarily.

I only had to wait.


	2. Chapter 2

PART TWO

_**Rebellion**_

The earth trembled under fiery feet and the triumphant whizzing of the scourges cut through the sticky air, yet louder was the sound of many voices screaming, whispering and hissing the same words as we crossed the huge iron gate that protected the hells of iron.

_He comes! He comes!_

Various creatures scampered out of our way as we passed them by, and those that were too slow or too stupid were hit by the fiery lashes of the Balrogs still flanking me. The whole of Angband and seemingly every creature in vicinity was on its feet, half curious, half fearful to witness the return of its master, whom most of them had never seen at all. Wolves were howling from the towers and the black slag hills, bats glided through the dusty sky, hairy spiders and other dreadful wights that shunned light hid from the dark flames that were crowded around me. Orcs and goblins were yelling and cheering with their hoarse voices, beating drums that filled the entire stronghold with a deep, stirring pulse that echoed the darkness down here.

_He comes! He comes!_

Though I was tired, exhausted from my latest and indeed most wicked deeds, I felt dark triumph rising in my chest. Still I clenched the small casket with the gleaming gems in my hands that hurt because of their bright fire, but I was not willing to unhand them before I was alone in my most secret and darkest chamber, deep under the roots of the tormented earth. They were mine, the last fire and spirit of the Two Trees that were on account of the Great Spider and me now only rotten, stinking waste. Twice I destroyed their precious light they brought into the world, twice I let them crash back into the darkness we all descended from. Silly, starry-eyed fools! They believed in my noble mien and my humble words, the lost brother, the black sheep that remorsefully crawls back to his designated place. I chuckled to myself, for they never realized that the only designated place that measures for me was here, as a king of the world and master of its fate indeed.

_He comes! He is back! Lord Melkor is freed from his captivity, our lord and master returns!_

Deeper and deeper we rushed, down in the hidden depths of my second fortress and my creatures and servants followed in droves. Despite my exhaustion and my grim mood I was bound to notice the immense extensions that had been conducted during my absence. Angband had been in ruins when the Valar dragged me to Aman in chains, as well as Utumno, my main stronghold, and all of my followers had been scattered and fled in fear to the deepest caverns in the mountains. I had half expected to find dead wastelands when I returned, instead my former followers had been summoned again and sent out to rescue me when Ungolianth betrayed and attacked me in the northern plains. The same power that had covened all evil and dark spirits to Angband had also rebuild and even strengthened the fortress with visible effort.

_He comes! He is here…_

This power awaited me in the throne hall, where the celebration of fire and darkness was at its peak and even through the smoke, the noise and the crowd he was the one that saw me first. He was in the midst of the uproar and his natural center, glowing in a dark beauty whose bright yet deadly fire excelled even the heat of the Balrogs surrounding me. Slowly, maybe a little too slow he rose from the dark basalt throne and strode towards me, graceful and ever-catlike. The noise level fell instantly and the lower creatures fearfully backed away so that we met in the middle of the hall.

"My Lord, be welcome back at the Hells of Iron!" he greeted me and bowed. "I am glad to see we could rescue you from Ungoliath's dark webs just in time."

"Spare me your smooth tongue, commander", I waved his formal greeting aside. My hands burned in pain and made me feel irritable and I did not like to be reminded of the disgustingly swollen body and the sticky threads of the Great Spider. "I'd prefer to hear what befell in Middle-Earth during my absence."

"Certainly, whatever you wish." He was uncommonly polite, I noticed suspiciously, as we walked through the hall towards the great throne. Maybe the captivity in Aman had made me get too accustomed to distrustful glances and wary responses but though ever loyal, humility and submission had always been rather foreign to his nature. I cast a quick glance at my side, at his noble profile. The centuries that passed since our first meeting had beautified him, made him the perfectly shaped weapon I had in mind then. His naivety was gone, replaced by an exquisite sense for cynicism and a notion for cruelty that matched my own but was more subtle. The bright light of innocence had given way for a darker, more savage burning that sometimes was mirrored inside his now golden and catlike eyes. Ah, Mairon… they may call you cruel, they may call you abhorrent outside these walls, but did they ever recognize the beauty in the dangerous, yet graceful predator you have become, that resembles so much the ones you like to surround with?

I was so distracted with studying his face that I only half listened when he explained what had happened in my lands, which was not much, and especially how he had rebuilt Angband and what enhancements were made. Meanwhile, I let myself heavily sink to the dark throne und tried to let calmness ease my mind, but in vain. Still the damned gems were burning hot and still I did not dare to detach my hands from the casket, afraid that they would look as horrible as they felt.

"There is one thing that surprises me, commander", I interrupted his explanations after some time. "You have rebuilt and strengthened Angband, but you do not mention Utumno with a single word."

"Of course not, for I didn't rebuild it", he shrugged, as always sitting at my side on the indeed very broad armrests of the throne, his back resting comfortably against black basalt. So I had to shot an angry glare up to him, which annoyed me even more than the lapidary way he had answered the question.

"And may I ask why you decided to turn a blind eye to my former main stronghold?"

"Because I don't think we should rebuild it at all, my Lord", he explained. "In the last war our armies were split, separated in both strongholds. If we focus all our powers in one centre, we will be much stronger and defendable in case of another attack. And Angband turned out to be the stronger fortress because of its deeper roots into the earth, so I chose it in your... absence."

_And certainly this has nothing to do with the fact that Angband is your own precious creation._

I could barely keep myself from grinding my teeth. Maybe I should have reckoned that the experience to have supreme command over Angband and all my former armies without receiving orders from me in return had gone to his beautiful head. Anyway, he seemed to be quite reluctant to return these privileges entirely. Too bad for him, that I was certainly in no need for a second Dark Lord in Middle-Earth.

"Very well, commander", I therefore answered in my most patronizing voice. "Thank you for your estimation, I will soon decide how to proceed with Utumno. In the meantime I will be satisfied with Angband and hope the enhancements will hold what you promised – for we will be in need of them to protect a treasure that in this moment rests in my hands, a treasure that of incredible value to our enemies that I snatched away from them!" I raised my voice with my last words and rose from the throne, upholding the small casket so everyone could see it. "For fire and iron and stone shall protect the last light remaining in the world, shall protect Feanor's Silmaril!"

With these words I opened the casket and bright light flashed up in the gloom and made the creatures in the hall back away. Yet, to my satisfaction, their light was not bright enough to cast darkness and shadows entirely away and it seemed lean in the great hall. A murmur went through the crowd, appalled as well as admiring, but I had only ears for the surprised gasping at my side.

"You... this... but this will lead them here!"

He yelled his last words, and in an instant it became deadly silent in the hall. I slowly turned my head, surprised that he indeed dared to seek open conflict.

"We must get rid of them, destroy them! They cannot stay here."

"We will do no such thing", I replied too calmly.

"If you keep them, you put us all in danger! The Valar broke down your strongholds and dragged you in chains to Aman once. They may do so again and even if they do not, keeping the Silmarils here will have consequences no one can foresee!"

He had risen from his seat, eyes flaming with lack of understanding and anger. We glared at each other for some heartbeats while I fought the desire to smash that suicidal, rebellious headstrong in an instant. Unfortunately, reason won.

"Out, everyone."

Some commands do not have to be very loud or aggressive to underline the fact that they are better to be obeyed as quickly as possible. It took only a small while, until the heavy iron gate closed behind the last creature scurrying away and he and I were the only ones remaining.

He had neither moved nor even tried to ask my pardon and I wondered if he was too defiant or rather too smart to do so. Any sign of craven servility had probably angered me even more than I already was. Anyhow, I was boiling with rage and so I hit him with all the force I could bring up.

Every elfish head would have been burst by the sheer violence of the blow and it was still strong enough to let him crash against one of the stony pillars with a satisfyingly nasty sound and leave him dazed on the floor for some moments.

"How dare you!", I growled in a tone that made the stone walls around the halls tremble slightly. "I am returning and you behave as if you were the master of this stronghold, you dare to tell me what to do, and to contradict me in front of my servants. Are you out of your mind or begging for pain or simply entirely megalomaniac? I mean, _how dare you!?_"

"But I..." he tried to reply while slowly struggling to his feet again but I interrupted him with menacing hiss: "You stay down and quiet until I tell you otherwise, did I make myself clear?"

He was clever enough not to answer this and I turned from him abruptly and started pacing, each of my heavy steps resounding like thunder in the now empty throne hall.

"Oh yes, I remember, fairest one", I continued, now in a softer voice. "I remember the day when you first came and knelt before my throne, hungering for power, for glory and eager to prove your value. You swore me an oath then – you swore to serve and obey me in return, you promised your protection and your loyalty and to act always in my interest. I did my part – enhanced your powers, gave you responsibility, leadership above my armies and even my second stronghold in your command. I gave you even more – when the Valar brought war upon us, it was you who was protected, hidden far from their eyes and me who was dragged to Valmar in chains. And they searched for you as well, believe me, Mairon."

Yet in the end, I paid them back for every humiliation, for everything they did. The light of the trees are gone and the last remaining light in the world is now in my hands? Don't you see the delicious irony in it? No, I won't destroy the Silmaril, instead I will put them in an Iron crown, as a mockery for them who dared to defy me. For the more pain I have endured and am still enduring to hold them in my hands, the more they are precious to me now."

With these words, I ultimately dared to take a look at my hands and it hardly surprised me to see they were entirely burnt black. They ravaging pain had soothed to a dull pulsing meanwhile and I wondered if it was possible to get used to it in time.

"They may come to claim them back. They may come to defeat us again. And when they do I expect you as well as the lowest creature in my hall to stand against them and defend these gems... till your death, if it may be necessary. For your life, your will, your spirit, everything you are is mine according to your own decision. Never forget that again."

I let my final words resound in the silence before I turned around again, a smug smile curling around my lips.

"Well, get up and kneel. You are allowed to ask my pardon now."

He slowly und reluctantly obeyed and I had to hide a triumphant smile. He hated these gestures of submission, we both knew, and usually I did not demand them from him for this reason. The battered skin at his right cheekbone began to colour in purple slowly and though he could have vanished the bruise in an instant, he was prudent enough to wait. However, it did not reduce his beauty and though his expression with the lowered eyes did not show any visible emotion, I disported myself for an instant in the image of unwilling, yet graceful submission.

"I apologize for my premature and inappropriate words, my Lord. I have annoyed and disappointed you with my actions and I promise I will not do so again. Please forgive me."

"And so I will. Get up your feet, commander."

He did and I watched him, curious what I would see in his eyes when he gazed at me. With slight surprise I noticed only relief that he had gotten of that lightly and maybe a small hint of unwilling adoration.

"If you would withdraw now, I would like to be alone for a while." He nodded, bowed and had already turned, when I called him back. "Ah, one last thing..." I paused until he had turned back his head, before I went on thoughtfully. "I think you're right with your thoughts about one forceful stronghold that will focus our power. And Angband is probably indeed the better choice than the shattered Utumno. So we will let the past rest and centre on ensuring the Hells of Iron as you proposed."

He held my gaze for a long moment and then a tiny smile curled his lips, before he bowed again, this time deeper as before. "It shall be done as you wish, my Lord."

I watched him leaving the hall, his movements as graceful and proud as before, his head held high as ever and smiled for myself.

_Exactly. I see you got my poi__nt._


	3. Chapter 3

PART THREE

_**Exile**_

The orcs were returning, but he was not among them.

I watched them coming from the highest top of Angband's iron towers, fuming with rage when I realized how dwindled the small army was that I had sent down to Dorthonion to catch that craven runaway. My once most valued servant and first commander who had first awkwardly failed and then shamelessly betrayed me.

It had been such an easy task, to hold the Pass of Sirion and imprison any trespasser who was foolish enough to defy me. And then he, he of all people, the ever-calculating and prudent, had been outsmarted by an enamored elf-maid and a talking hound.

I had been beside myself with anger, had waited here for him to crawl back to me, had been feeding on the desire to let him really suffer for his failure. No, this time neither his honeyed words nor pacifying gestures should help him out of the disaster he had conjured up.

But he never came back, which astonished me and at the same time even fuelled my temper. So I sent my servants after him with the order to drag him back to Angband, in chains if necessary. I should have known that they would not succeed if he did not wish to come back, but in my rage no one had dared to contradict me when I sent them to their suicide mission. For the only one who had ever dared to do so was gone now.

I stared down to the wastelands and did not even turn when I heard footsteps coming up to the tower. The guardians had had their orders to bring the leaders of the orcs immediately to me when they arrived, but I let them wait for some painful seconds before I softly asked,

"Well then?"

"M- Mylord Melkor," a coarse orc voice whispered fearfully, "I crave your pardon! We… we failed. He escaped through the mountains and into the wilderness, and half of us were killed down there."

"By him?"

"We don't know. There… there is an everlasting darkness under the trees and there were spiders and other blood-sucking monsters and shadows…" The fear of the cursed woods clearly echoed in his voice. "Most of us just vanished, and later we found only the corpses… if at all."

I remained silent for a moment and let my gaze wander to the shadowy tops of Thangorodrim. The wilderness of Dorthonion was somewhere behind, once meager heathland and pine forests, but in recent years increasingly affected by my growing influence in the North. And indeed no bad place to hide, for no elf or man dared to wander in Taur-nu-Fuin, the forest under nightshades, as they called it nowadays, yet it was not directly in my grasp. And the wolves that rambled through the forest had always been his friends and allies.

"Alright. Get lost," I dismissed the orcish scouts absent-mindedly. They hastened to follow my order before I could rethink and punish them for their failure. However, for the moment I was quite unwilling to waste my anger on anyone else but its true source.

Should I send anyone else to the wilderness to catch him? The Balrogs would not be scared and left behind that easily. My first commander had many enemies that had envied him his position and felt disgusted about his treason. And the thought was so tempting, just one order and they would burn the entire forest down if it was necessary to find him.

But no. He had grown strong and gathered so much power in the recent centuries, and as long as I would hunt for him, he would desperately fight back. And I could not afford another enemy, could not focus my will on finding him, not when the ultimate victory was that near.

I calmed down a little, still watching the slag mountains when a thought struck my mind and my lips slowly curled in a wicked smile.

Why should I bother searching for him at all?

He was somewhere out there now, roaming through the loneliness and the cold which had never been his nature. He might have chosen this exile by himself, but sooner or later it would torment him more than any pain I could have thought of. Moreover, once my shadow would have spread it would become more difficult to evade my lengthening arm.

And where, fairest one, will you turn then? The elves hate and fear you as much as they fear me. Or will you try to cross the sea, to seek pardon in Valinor?

I would not put it him past to do so, if only in another foolish attempt to defy me. Ah, Mairon, there are still some things about darkness and the Void you do not understand. The path from light to darkness is an easy one, the way back is much harder, maybe impossible when you have already crossed the final threshold, for darkness is fond of her children, will be unwilling to let you go. You have drunken greedily from her source, inebriated yourself with her sweet taste, made her pulse through your veins and heat up your fire. The second song of the Ainur, the one the Valar call the Discord, my song, sings too loudly and too strongly in your blood now, will be in your mind when you struggle for light, will be in your dreams when you lay down to an uneasy rest.

No, Fairest, there will be no shelter, no escape and no rest for you unless you turn and come back to me. We both know that you will, sooner or later, that one day your pride will be broken and you will crawl back to me and beg for pardon. One day your hunger for power will overcome you, your addiction to the darkness bring you to your knees. But as long as you deny this simple truth, you shall be hunted by everyone, shall suffer loneliness, fear and powerlessness out in the wilderness. And I shall disport myself in the mere thought of your suffering while I am waiting for you.

In the end, darkness would find her wayward child and lead it back to the right path.

I only hoped that I did not have to wait too long.


End file.
